Publications, reports, and other documents on rural health and human services topics from a variety of sources, with information provided via the Rural Assistance Center Copyright 2012 Rural Assistance Center http://www.raconline.org/ Examines how and to what extent states allow health plans to vary premiums by geographic rating area. Discusses strategies that federal and state policymakers might use to help ensure that premium variations based on geography are justified. -- State Health Access Reform Evaluation http://www.shadac.org/files/shadac/publications/RuralImplicationsofGeographicRating.pdf Wed, 16 May 2012 15:55:22 CST http://www.shadac.org/files/shadac/publications/RuralImplicationsofGeographicRating.pdf Describes farm and farmer characteristics that may influence farm operator involvement in development activities, specifically by focusing on five farm activities: organic farming,value-added agriculture, direct marketing, agritourism, and energy/electricity production. -- USDA Economic Research Service http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR134/ERR134.pdf Wed, 16 May 2012 15:41:37 CST http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR134/ERR134.pdf Examines the impact of state-level adoption of Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs) on a set of health-related outcomes for children including health insurance coverage, the use of preventive medical and dental care, and health status measures. -- Carsey Institute http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/CarseySearch/search.php?id=194&utm_source=The+Effects+of+State+EITC+Expansion+on+Children%27s+Health&utm_campaign=EITC+Expansion&utm_medium=email Tue, 15 May 2012 10:48:08 CST http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/CarseySearch/search.php?id=194&utm_source=The+Effects+of+State+EITC+Expansion+on+Children%27s+Health&utm_campaign=EITC+Expansion&utm_medium=email Describes indicators of maternal and child health,including prenatal care, low birth weight, and infant mortality, within AA and NHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander) populations in the United States and Pacific Islands. -- Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum http://www.apiahf.org/sites/default/files/APIAHF%20Maternal%20and%20Child%20Health%20of%20AANHPI.pdf Tue, 15 May 2012 09:24:26 CST http://www.apiahf.org/sites/default/files/APIAHF%20Maternal%20and%20Child%20Health%20of%20AANHPI.pdf Contains information on privacy and security in health information technology and meaningful use of electronic health records. -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/privacy/privacy-and-security-guide.pdf Tue, 15 May 2012 08:58:44 CST http://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/privacy/privacy-and-security-guide.pdf Evaluates obesity prevention strategies and identifies recommendations for community based programs. -- Institute of Medicine http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2012/Accelerating-Progress-in-Obesity-Prevention.aspx Wed, 09 May 2012 13:58:14 CST http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2012/Accelerating-Progress-in-Obesity-Prevention.aspx Highlights key issues about Medicaid, including the structure, financing and purpose of the program, its role for low-income beneficiaries, its share of the federal budget and state budgets, and the significant implications of the coverage expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Mentions rural throughout. -- Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/8139-02.pdf Fri, 04 May 2012 10:04:26 CST http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/8139-02.pdf Discusses the use of patient safety culture surveys as a means to promote organizational learning and build a culture of safety. -- Flex Monitoring Team http://flexmonitoring.org/documents/PolicyBrief27_Patientt-Safety-Culture-CAHs.pdf Fri, 04 May 2012 09:42:15 CST http://flexmonitoring.org/documents/PolicyBrief27_Patientt-Safety-Culture-CAHs.pdf Data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) show that Medicare Advantage plans, Medicares private comprehensive health plans, continue to be a vital source of coverage for low-income and minority beneficiaries in 2010. -- AHIP Center for Policy and Research http://www.ahipresearch.org/MedigapLowIncomeRuralReport2012/ Fri, 04 May 2012 08:51:26 CST http://www.ahipresearch.org/MedigapLowIncomeRuralReport2012/ Describes provisions in the Affordable Care Act that will benefit Americans living in the U.S. Territories by increasing access, ensuring quality and advancing prevention and public health. -- Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum http://www.apiahf.org/sites/default/files/PA-factsheet05-2011.pdf Thu, 03 May 2012 15:55:13 CST http://www.apiahf.org/sites/default/files/PA-factsheet05-2011.pdf Provides an overview of NHPA (Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander) health in the United States. Where possible, this health brief also includes data on the health status of NHPAs living in the USAPI (U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands.) -- Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum http://www.apiahf.org/sites/default/files/NHPI_Report08a_2010.pdf Thu, 03 May 2012 15:28:00 CST http://www.apiahf.org/sites/default/files/NHPI_Report08a_2010.pdf Discusses the rural tourism industry and how tax dollars are spent to promote tourism in Pennsylvania. -- Center for Rural Pennsylvania http://www.rural.palegislature.us/documents/reports/Evaluation_Rural_Tourism_Industry.pdf Thu, 03 May 2012 15:00:51 CST http://www.rural.palegislature.us/documents/reports/Evaluation_Rural_Tourism_Industry.pdf Examines how community health workers (CHWs) can connect underserved populations with health and human service providers. -- National Conference of State Legislatures http://www.ncsl.org/print/health/CHWBrief.pdf Thu, 03 May 2012 11:32:30 CST http://www.ncsl.org/print/health/CHWBrief.pdf Provides hospital leaders with a snapshot of hospitals' current readiness to participate in an Accountable Care Organization (ACO), as well as a tool with which to gauge their own organizations' relative preparedness for ACO participation. Includes rural throughout report. -- Health Research & Educational Trust http://www.hpoe.org/resources-and-tools/resources/Accountable_Care.pdf Thu, 03 May 2012 11:16:33 CST http://www.hpoe.org/resources-and-tools/resources/Accountable_Care.pdf Summarizes current population redistribution trends in New Hampshire and shows how fertility, mortality, and migration contributed to these trends. -- Carsey Institute http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/Report-Johnson-Demographic-Trends-NH-21st-Century.pdf Thu, 03 May 2012 09:11:07 CST http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/Report-Johnson-Demographic-Trends-NH-21st-Century.pdf A guide for training community health workers providing mental health outreach in communities recovering from a disaster or facing capacity shortages for mental health services. -- American Red Cross http://reachnola.org/pdfs/reachnolamentalhealthoutreachmanual2009.pdf Wed, 02 May 2012 20:37:20 CST http://reachnola.org/pdfs/reachnolamentalhealthoutreachmanual2009.pdf Presents the results of Identifying Our Needs: A Survey of Elders that was conducted between 2008 and 2011, by tribal members for over 300 American Indian tribes, Alaskan villages, and Hawaiian homesteads throughout Indian Country. -- National Resource Center on Native American Aging http://ruralhealth.und.edu/pdf/2012_factsheet.pdf Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:00:52 CST http://ruralhealth.und.edu/pdf/2012_factsheet.pdf Provides non-FQHC health care providers with a better understanding of what is motivating FQHCs to expand the number of service sites and provide non-FQHC reimbursed services, such as laboratory and other diagnostic services. -- Stroudwater Associates http://www.coruralhealth.org/programs/rhc/documents/CollaborationandFQHCs.pdf Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:17:37 CST http://www.coruralhealth.org/programs/rhc/documents/CollaborationandFQHCs.pdf Highlights the rural healthcare delivery systems using the latest Medicare shared Savings data files, the first nationwide hospital rating system to evaluate rural hospitals, and the industrys largest proprietary rural Emergency Department database. -- National Rural Health Association http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/index.cfm?objectid=99261AD8-3048-651A-FE1D36CAF4C5A822 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:23:13 CST http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/index.cfm?objectid=99261AD8-3048-651A-FE1D36CAF4C5A822 Describes the results of a survey of small rural hospitals that use hospitalists, who are physicians, physician assistants or nurse practitioners who assume responsibility for patient care during inpatient hospital stays. -- Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center http://www.uppermidwestrhrc.org/pdf/hospitalist_policy_brief.pdf Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:29:05 CST http://www.uppermidwestrhrc.org/pdf/hospitalist_policy_brief.pdf Presents profiles on four CAHs in Illinois, including Ferrell Hospital in Eldorado, Kewanee Hospital in Kewanee, Memorial Hospital in Carthage, and Midwest Medical Center in Galena. -- Illinois Hospital Association http://www.ihatoday.org/uploadDocs/1/cahprofiles.pdf Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:50:53 CST http://www.ihatoday.org/uploadDocs/1/cahprofiles.pdf Outlines how many rural residents and families have used or benefited from Affordable Care Act provisions. -- Center for Rural Affairs http://files.cfra.org/pdf/real-help-rural-people.pdf Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:10:30 CST http://files.cfra.org/pdf/real-help-rural-people.pdf Explores how providers can remove barriers that may have previously derailed and limited the ability to influence quality and safety efforts through working with a PSO and adopting common nomenclature for the reporting of medical errors. -- http://www.claritygrp.com/media/41485/pso__part_2_adoption_of_common_formats.pdf Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:27:34 CST http://www.claritygrp.com/media/41485/pso__part_2_adoption_of_common_formats.pdf Provides a framework by which data can be collected from multiple community paramedicine programs to develop common successes and challenges. Designed to address rural settings. -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://www.hrsa.gov/ruralhealth/pdf/paramedicevaltool.pdf Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:16:12 CST http://www.hrsa.gov/ruralhealth/pdf/paramedicevaltool.pdf Explores the effects of the growing population of older adults on the demand for housing, the challenge of providing meaningful housing choices for older adults of all incomes, and the policies that could help communities respond to the dual challenges of providing older adults with affordable housing and adequate services. -- National Housing Conference - Center for Housing Policy http://www.nhc.org/media/files/AgingReport2012.pdf Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:18:07 CST http://www.nhc.org/media/files/AgingReport2012.pdf Presents a geographic picture of the towns and cities in New Hampshire at risk for food insecurity. -- Carsey Institute http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/CarseySearch/search.php?id=189 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:14:24 CST http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/CarseySearch/search.php?id=189 Starting in 2012, the annual report is in three modules. Module One presents year in review. Module Two includes updated enrollment and utilization data and detailed information on ADAP coordination with Medicare Part D. Module Three highlights hepatitis treatments covered by AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs). -- National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors http://www.nastad.org/Docs/081741_Module%20One%20-%20National%20ADAP%20Monitoring%20Project%20Annual%20Report%20-%20January%202012.pdf Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:38:12 CST http://www.nastad.org/Docs/081741_Module%20One%20-%20National%20ADAP%20Monitoring%20Project%20Annual%20Report%20-%20January%202012.pdf Presents data and findings about race and ethnicity in rural areas and small towns from the 2010 Census and American Community Survey (ACS). -- Housing Assistance Council http://hac.nonprofitsoapbox.com/storage/research_notes/rrn-race-and-ethnicity-web.pdf Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:18:48 CST http://hac.nonprofitsoapbox.com/storage/research_notes/rrn-race-and-ethnicity-web.pdf Summarizes health care quality and access among various racial, ethnic, and income groups and other priority populations, such as residents of rural areas and people with disabilities. -- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr11/nhdr11.pdf Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:04:04 CST http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr11/nhdr11.pdf An overview of the quality of health care in the United States. Measures trends in effectiveness of care, patient safety, timeliness of care, patient quality, and efficiency of care. -- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr11/nhqr11.pdf Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:54:03 CST http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr11/nhqr11.pdf